Newsletter No. 343

No. 343, 19.9.2009 3 NEWS & EVENTS 成立創科會 培育中學生科技才華 New Student Club Nurtures Young Technology Talent 家 中養了魚或龜的人，倘若要外遊，可以怎辦呢？ 中六學生梁潤誼設計的「智能養寵物系統」，相 信可以助你一把。 就讀於東華三院張明添中學的梁潤誼，是「2008香港資 訊及通訊科技獎」的最佳創新及研究獎（中學）金獎得 主，她獲邀加入由中大工程學院聯同創新科技署於今年6 月成立的「創新科技學生會」（創科會），並於暑假參 加中大一項為期六星期的研習，按所指定的題目範疇或 自己興趣，訂定研究題目。 在中大導師指導下，她將其原本作為會考設計與科技科 專題報告的設計，提升為能夠連接互聯網的「智能養寵 物系統」。用家可以透過網絡攝影機監察寵物情況，並 按需要控制溫度、開關燈光、即時或預設時間餵飼等， 讓主人可以隨時隨地上網照料自己的寵物，毋須因加班 而未及照顧，亦省卻外遊前須預先託養寵物的麻煩。 對於成功改良自己的發明，梁同學欣喜地表示：「過往 我設計一件作品後，很少會用其他方法進一 步改良其功能。但中大的導師拓闊我的眼 光，建議加設飼養園的網絡控制功能，同時 亦使我有機會學習編寫網絡程式及設立網絡 伺服器等新知識，令我獲益良多。」 創科會旨在透過研究實習、科技營會、科技 講座及採訪大學科研項目等活動，讓對創新 科技有濃厚興趣的中學生有機會接觸大學的 前沿科研項目，並隨中大科研人員學習及進 行研習。創科會現有逾七十會員，皆曾在科 技或數理方面的公開比賽中獲獎，或由校長 推薦加入。 創科會會長、工程學院副院長（外務）黃錦 輝教授表示：「香港正逐漸步向知識型經濟 體系，要長遠發展創新科技，便應早於中學 階段便開始培養同學的科技潛能。」 N ext time you need someone to take care of your pet fish or turtle when you go on a trip, maybe the intelligent system for pets designed by Esther Leung, a Secondary 6 student, can give you a hand. Esther of TWGHs Chang Ming Thien College, gold award winner of the Best Innovation and Research Award (Secondary School Stream), of the HKICT Award 2008, was invited to join the Innovation and Technology Student Club jointly established by the CUHK Faculty of Engineering and the Innovation and Technology Commission in June. She subsequently took part in a six-week research internship programme offered by CUHK, which allowed her to conduct research on an assigned topic or one she proposed. Under the supervision of CUHK teachers, Esther upgraded her original design for a project she did for the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination to a web-based intelligent system for pet fish and turtles. Pet owners can monitor the fish tank by means of a web camera, controlling the temperature, lighting, even presetting feeding time through a specifically designed website. With the help of this system, they can take care of their pets even when they are working late or out of town. Esther was glad to be able to improve her original design. ‘When I finished a design in the past, I seldom thought of new ways of making it better. But the teachers at CUHK gave me a different perspective and suggested me to enhance my design by including web-based features. I learnt a lot about how to write a network program and set up a network server, topics beyond what my science classes could offer.’ The aim of the Innovation and Technology Student Club is to promote a culture of innovation in secondary students. Through research internships, camps, lectures and interviews on science research projects, members become acquainted with the University’s cutting-edge research and learn from CUHK researchers. There are currently over 70 members in the club—all winners of science and technology competitions or students recommended by their school principals. Prof. William K.F. Wong, president of the club and associate dean (external affairs) of the Faculty of Engineering, said, ‘As Hong Kong develops into a knowledge-based economy, nurturing young talent in science has become even more important. This can pave the way for developing innovative technology in the long term.’ 黃錦輝教授 (左) 及梁潤誼同學，旁為梁同學設計的「智能養寵物系統」 Prof. William Wong (left), Esther Leung and her intelligent system for pet fish and turtle 復 旦大學校長楊玉良教授於9月7日在中大主持公開 講座，題目為「大學的人文精神與通識教育」。 楊校長分享了他對大學在傳承人文精神所發揮的作用， 以及對通識教育的見解。講座吸引了約二百名學術界人 士及中大師生出席，場面熱鬧。 楊校長認為，人文精神是指對人的生命存在和人的尊 嚴、價值、意義的理解和把握，以及對價值理想或終極 理想的執着追求。要進行人文教育，就關乎到通識教 育，通識教育旨在讓學生了解不同知識的統一和差別， 了解不同學科的智慧境界和思考方式，訓練獨立思考的 習慣，培養完整人格。 P rof. Yang Yuling, President of Fudan University, shared his views on ‘Humanities and General Education in University’ with some 200 academics, CUHK teachers and students on 7 September. Professor Yang said that humanities are about the interpretation and understanding of the existence of human life, human dignity, value and meaning, as well as the pursuit of ultimate goals in life. General education is vital for promoting humanities as it enables students to find out about the similarities and differences between different subjects, to understand the ways of thinking of different disciplines, and hence to develop independent thinking and balanced personalities. 復旦校長論人文精神與通識教育 Fudan University President on Humanities and General Education